Garment-supporter.



No. 811,505. PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906.

. I. J. JOHNSON.

GARMENT SUPPORTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAYB, 1905.

2 SHEETB-SHBET 1.

No. 811,505. PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906. I. J. JOHNSON.

. GARMENT SUPPOBTER.

APPLIGMIION FILED MAY6.1905

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITE STTES.

FTCE.

GARMENT-SUPPORTER- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed May 6. 1905. Serial No. 259,239.

To a, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISABEL-LE J. JonNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Coke dale, in the county of Park and State of Montana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Garment-Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined body brace or stay and garment supporter, the main object of the invention being to provide an appliance of this character especially adapted for the use of women and designed to take the place of ordinary corsets to per form the functions thereof, while obviating their objectionable features, and which at the same time will afford support for the drawers, hose, and other articles of apparel or temporary toilet attachments.

Another object is to provide a stay and supporter which by slight variations in form and construction may be adapted for use as a garment-supporter for children of both sexes.

Still another object is to provide an appliance which will permit free and easy movements of the body of the wearer without discomfort and without throwing any added strain upon the garments.

The referred embodiment of the invention is lustrated in the accompanying draw ings, in which Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a body brace or stay and garment-supporter embodying my invention, the device as shown therein being especially adapted for the use of women. Fi 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the abdominal pad and associated parts of the waistband, showing the pad turned outwardly or forwardly and disconnected from the free end of the waistband. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of'the appliance as slightly modified for use as a garment-supporter for children. Fig. 5 is a front or inner elevation view showing the same opened or outspread.

The combined stay and supporter comprises the corresponding side sections A and B, which are designed to be supported from the shoulders of the wearer. Each of these side portions consists of a strap of fabric folded to form a shoulder-strap 1 and thence continuing downward in the form of front and rear suspension straps 2 and 3. The straps 2 and 3 are connected at their junction with the lower ends of the shoulder-strap 1 by a connecting web or strap 4, which extends under the armpit and maintains the upper portion of the device in proper position upon the shoulder of the wearer. The outer edge of the shoulder-strap 1 and the upper edge of the connecting armpit-strap 4 are properly curved or cut out to form an armhole to comfortably accommodate and fit the arm and shoulder of the wearer. The rear suspension-straps 3 of the side sections A and B are connected by a transverse strap 5, which extends across the back of the wearer immediately below the shoulder-line and holds the shoulder-straps 1 in proper relation and prevents them from shifting, while the front suspension-straps 2 are curved inwardly below the shoulder-straps and are enlarged at their points of junction with the armpitstraps 4 to provide supporting portions 6 of sufficient area to properly bear against and support the mammary-glands, thus obviating the necessity of employing corsets for this purpose.

The front and rear suspension-straps 2 and 3 are connected near their lower ends to a waist band or belt 7, to the back portion of which is attached a pad 8, adapted to rest upon the back below the waistline and form an effectual back-support. This pad consists of folds or plies of a suitable fabric stitched together and stiffened by interposed feather bones or stays 9. The waistband 7 rests at its rear against the small or waist portion of the back, thence extends forwardly from the hips and over the abdomen, the said rear portion of the waistband being enlarged to provide a substantially triangular projection 10, which extends upwardly and bears against the back a short distance above the waist-line to increase the supporting or bracing action. Buttons 7 are provided upon the waistband for the attachment of the drawers and to permit the latter to be conveniently supported therefrom. The free ends 11 and 12 of the waistband overlap at the front of the stay and supporter, the end 11 being arranged to extend over and outside the ends 12 and having secured thereto a pad 13 of proper form to rest upon and support and give proper shape to the abdomen. This pad 13 is constructed similarly to the pad 8 and is provided with featherboning or stiffening steels or stays 14. In order to secure the ends of the waistband together to hold the stay and supporter snugly may be used. In the present instance, however, I have shown the underlying end 12 of the waistband provided at its free edge with eyes 15 to engage hooks 16, secured to and set back from the free edge of the end 11 and preferably arranged above the inner righthand edge of the pad 13. The free edge of the end 11 is also provided with hooks 17 to engage eyes 18, secured to the end 12 at a point inwardly from its free edge and substan' tially in line with the outer edge of the connecting front suspension-strap 2 of the side section B, these two sets of fastenings when connected serving to unite the ends 11 and 12 of the waistband on opposite sides of the vertical line of the abdominal pad 13, whereby they are held from shifting and moving the pad 13 out of proper position. In addition the end 11 may be provided near its upper edge and at a point above the free or lefthand edge of the pad 13 with a hook 19 to engage an eye 20, secured to the upper edge of the end 12 substantially in line with the inner edge of the front suspension-strap 2 of the side section B to relieve the above-described stays or fastenings from undue strain and prevent undue downward movement of the abdominal pad 13 under the pull of the front pairs of supporters hereinafter described. In practice the waistband, as well as the elements of the sections A and B, will be accurately cut to fit the body of the wearer, so that the device may be worn with comfort and convenience.

Secured to the abdominal pad 13 are pairs of hose-supporters 21 and 22, provided at their lower ends with any preferred type of hose-engaging devices. At the rear of the device are also back hose-supporters 2'3 and 2 1, secured to suspending-tabs 25, constituting continuations below the waist-belt of the rear suspension-straps 3. By so applying the hosesupporters the hose or stockings will be supported from the shoulders of the wearer, where the weight should be properly sustained.

The mode of applying the device to the person will be readily understood from the foregoing description, and it will be seen that the device as constructed is adapted to not only perform all of the functions of the usual corset, but is free from the defects thereof and at the same time allows free and perfect play to the parts of the body during the body movements without throwing strain upon the garments.

- The back and abdominal pads 8 and 13, respectively, carry rings or other suitable attaching elements 26 and 27, to which the end of the menstruation-napkin may be connected.

In adapting the device for useas a garmentsupporter for children, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the pads 8 and 13 are dispensed with and the waistband 7 is made straight through out its length, one of the ends of the band be ing provided with buttonholes 28 and the other with buttons 29 to engage the same to hold the lower portion of the supporter secure about the body. The breast-strap 30 is further provided to hold the upper portion of the supporter in position, one end of said strap being sewed to one of the side sections, such as the section A, while the other end is adapted to be engaged with the other side section, the free end of the breast-strap 30 being shown in the present instance as formed with buttonholes 31 to engage buttons 32 on the section B. The front and rear suspensionstraps of the sections A and B are in this construction both continued below the waistband 7 to provide supporting-tabs 33 for the attachment of hose-supporters. Buttons 34 are provided upon opposite sides of the waistband, as in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, to enable the drawers to be attached to and supported from the supporter. By so constructing the garmentsupporter freedom of movement of the parts of the body is insured, while provision is made for supporting the garments of the child in the most effective manner. The supporter shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is primarily designed as a garment-supporting appliance for girls;-but by slight alterations, such as by arranging a band or strap upon the inner side of the waistband and modifying the device for the application and use of bachelor-buttons, the device may be used as a garment- .s-upporter for boys.

From the fore oing description, taken in connection with t e accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of the invention will be understood without a further extended description.

Changes in the form, proportions, and minor details ofconstruction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A body-brace and garment-supporter comprising two sections, each consisting of a shoulder-strap, front and rear suspensionstraps depending from the shoulder-strap, an armpitstrap connecting the outer edges of the shoulder and suspension straps, a backstrap independent of said armpit-straps and connecting the rear suspension-straps of the two sections, a waistband connected to the lower ends of the suspension-straps, said band being provided with a rear bracing enlargement and having its free end arranged to overlap at the front and provided with fastening means, and tabs depending from the belt in the plane of said suspending-straps.

2. A body-brace and garment-supporter comprising two sections, each consisting of a shoulder-strap, front and rear suspensionsiLsoEi straps depending from the shoulder-strap, an armpitstrap connecting the outer edges of the shoulder and suspension straps, a backstrap connecting the rear suspension-straps of the two sections, a waistband connected to the lower ends of the suspension-straps, back and abdominal pads secured respectively to the rear portion and one of the ends of the waistband, the ends of the waistband being arranged to overlap at the front, and means for connecting the said ends of the Waistband on opposite sides of the vertical line of the abdominal pad.

3. A body-brace and garment-supporter comprising two sections, each consisting of a shoulder-strap, front and rear suspensionstraps depending from the shoulder-strap, an armpit-strap connecting the outer edges of the shoulder and suspension straps, a backstrap connecting the rear suspension-straps of the two sections, a waistband connected to the lower ends of the suspension-straps, and having an upward bracing extension at the rear and its ends arranged to overlap at the front, back and abdominal pads secured to the waistband respectively below said bracing enlargement and to one of the ends of the band, and means for connecting the ends of the band on opposite sides of the vertical line of the abdominal pad.

In testimony whereof I ai'lix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ISABELLE J. JOHNSON. Witnesses:

MARGARET JOHNSON, R. M. KAVANAGH. 

